USA, Arizona: Marriage Equality Initiative Shelved

Concerns from leading LGBT advocates have stalled an effort to repeal Arizona’s gay marriage ban. According to the Arizona Capitol Times, Equal Marriage Arizona has set aside for now its campaign to repeal Arizona’s 2008 voter-approved constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union. The ballot initiative was announced in June and paperwork was filed by Phoenix businessman Warren Meyer and retired attorney Erin Ogletree Simpson, chairwoman of the Arizona chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans.

Note: the campaign was launched by Republican strategist Tim Mooney, who (1) aided UT’s 2004 campaign against same-gender civil marriage, who (2) helped elect TX Governor Rick Perry (R) by placing the Green Party on the ballot to split Democratic voters), who (3) is opposed by most LGBT groups, and who (4) refuses to answer reporters’ questions about these issues.